Jones had begun writing songs and recording home demos as part of an experimental theatre group in Sheffield. A collection of these demos (I Was Born a Man) was released in the summer of 1995, under the name Baby Bird. Following a warm critical reception for this record, he recruited a band made up of Huw Chadbourne (keyboards), Robert Gregory (drums), John Pedder (bass) and Luke Scott (guitar), in order to tour and promote his work.
During 1995, two further albums of demo recordings were released under the name Baby Bird (Bad Shave and Fatherhood) and two in 1996 (The Happiest Man Alive and Dying Happy).
By the end of the year, a decent public following had been built up, as well as quite considerable excitment within the press and music industry. Babybird were signed to Echo Records (a division of the Chrysalis Group), and the first "proper" single, a full-band recording of "Goodnight", which had appeared in demo form on Fatherhood, was eventually released in the summer of 1996, becoming a minor chart hit in the UK.
"You're Gorgeous"
The second single, You're Gorgeous, reached number 3 in the UK in October 1996, and was also one of the biggest selling singles of the year, going on to chart around the world. This remains the song for which Stephen Jones and Babybird are best known.
However, it presented a much more commercial face to the public in comparison to Jones' previous work. The early demo albums won Jones great credibility with those who heard them, but had not reached a wide audience (each one being a one-off pressing). Arguably, the commercial sound and success of "You're Gorgeous", which received massive exposure by comparison, made it hard for many to take Jones seriously as an indie artist. Essentially, what he was best at was no longer what he was best known for.
After "You're Gorgeous"
The album Ugly Beautiful was released to a warm reception, but was not the unmitigated critical triumph that some had anticipated from Babybird's first studio-recorded album. The album produced two more hit singles, Candy Girl and Cornershop.
Babybird returned, minus keyboardist Huw Chadbourne, in 1998 with There's Something Going On, preceded by a single, Bad Old Man. The album was a modest success and was followed by further minor hits, If You'll Be Mine and Back Together.
In 2000, a line-up of Babybird comprising Stephen Jones, Luke Scott and Matt Hay created a third album. Bugged, which was well-received critically (it might be suggested that it is an album of the right quality, but four years later than expected). However, sales were poor and the two singles from it, The F-Word (later the theme tune to a UK TV cookery show of the same name) and Out of Sight barely dented the charts. Babybird were dropped by their record label soon after. A third single from the album Fireflies was released on Animal Noise records, but sold few copies. The band subsequently split.
Stephen Jones went on to write fiction, release solo work and score a film, Blessed, in 2004.
In October 2005, a posting on the official Babybird website announced that the band had reformed as a three-piece featuring Stephen, Luke Scott and Robert Gregory, and would be releasing new material in 2006.
The last CD, called "Between My Ears There's Nothing But Music", was released in autumn 2006 and didn't seem to have encountered a big success.
Stephen Jones has also released Solo material, not to be confused with the american artist of the same name.
In September 2009, Stephen Jones launched an online Babybird community, on which he regularly posts.
A brief tour of the UK was undertaken in November 2009 with the lineup of Stephen Jones, Luke Scott and Robert Gregory. This tour was to promote the new album, Ex-Maniac, due for release in February 2010. Johnny Depp, a long time fan, appears on the album Ex-Maniac, as guitarist in the first single off the album, Unloveable.
Wave Your Hands
Babybird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And hate on our knuckles
We just can’t get it off
We just can’t get it off
We might as well give it up
Throw our hands in the air
And wave them in the air
We got an apple in our forehead
And love’s got a gun
We just can’t shake it off
We just can’t shake it off
Chorus
L-O-V-E on our fingers
L-O-V-E on our knuckles
I just can’t get enough
We just can’t get enough
Chorus
The Babybird's song "Wave Your Hands" is a song that speaks to a struggle between love and hate. The lyrics "We got love on our fingers and hate on our knuckles" suggest the presence of both love and hate in their lives. The next phrase, "We just can't get it off" could be interpreted as not being able to get rid of either emotion from their lives, much like not being able to clean off a substance that would inevitably stain.
The chorus of the song encourages giving up on this struggle and just waving your hands in the air as if you don't care. The song seems to be advocating for the release and acceptance of these feelings in equal measure. The line "We got an apple on our forehead and love's got a gun" is a powerful metaphor, suggesting that love has a strong hold on them, as if they are imprisoned or defeated under love's power.
The song appears to communicate a message of love-hate relationship and acceptance in equal parts, and elevates the importance of the experience of these emotions, rather than trying to suppress them. As a listener, it serves as a reminder that love and hate may coexist and sometimes complement each other.
Line by Line Meaning
We got love on our fingers
Our actions and interactions are guided by love
And hate on our knuckles
Our past experiences of hate and hurt are still imprinted on us
We just can’t get it off
Those imprints are hard to erase and forget
We might as well give it up
We should stop trying to hide or ignore our past and current struggles
Throw our hands in the air
Express our vulnerability and surrender to the present moment
And wave them in the air
Embrace the freedom and spontaneity of the current experience
Like you just don’t care
Let go of worries, fears, and insecurities that hold us back
We got an apple in our forehead
We carry the burden of knowledge and awareness that comes with maturity
And love’s got a gun
Love can be a powerful force that can hurt us or heal us
We just can’t shake it off
Our emotional or mental struggles are hard to overcome or ignore
L-O-V-E on our fingers
Love is ever-present in everything we do or touch
L-O-V-E on our knuckles
Love is also associated with pain, struggle, or sacrifice
I just can’t get enough
We are always seeking and needing more love, connection, and acceptance
Contributed by Adrian E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.